Safety device

ABSTRACT

SEVERAL U-SHAPED RODS ARE MOUNTED FOR LONGIDUTINAL ADJUSTMENT ON A COMMON LATERAL SUPPORT TO FORM A SAFETY BARRIER FOR ADJUSTABLE MOUNTING ON A PUNCH PRESS OR THE LIKE, THE ADJACENT LEGS OF ADJACENT U-SHAPED RODS BEING CLAMPED TOGETHER AND THE ADJACENT FREE ENDS OF EACH ROD BEING CLOSED BY A CLAMP. SEVERAL BARRIERS MAY BE JOINED TO FORM THE SEDIRED SHAPE OF BARRIERS MAY BE JOINED TO FORM THE DESIRED ACCOMMODATE TOOLING AND STOCK FLOW.

United States Patent lnventor Edwin William Plumb. Linden Road.

Woodbury. Conn.

Jan. 30, 1970 June 28, 1971 Appl. No. Filed Patented SAFETY DEVICE 8Claims, 2 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl.....

Int. Cl Flfip 1/00 Field of Search 74/612,

613,614, 615; 83/397, 398(XNG); 100/53, (inquired); 287/(Inquired)13,ssm44 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,830,508 11/193]Freeburg 74/612 2,868,569 l/l959 Madden 83/546X Primary Examiner-WilliamF. ODea Assistant Examiner-F. D. Shoemaker Attorney-Prutzman, Hayes,Kalb & Chilton ABSTRACT: Several U-shaped rods are mounted forlongitudinal adjustment on a common lateral support to form a safetybarrier for adjustable mounting on a punch press or the like, theadjacent legs of adjacent U-shaped rods being clamped together and theadjacent free ends of each rod being closed by a clamp. Several barriersmay be joined to form the desired shape of barrier and the individualrods can be positioned to accommodate tooling and stock flow.

PATENTEU JUH28 [an 3,5 7,344

' sum 1 UP 2 INVENTOR [IDWIN W PLUMB ATTORNEYS PATENTEU JUN28 IHYI QmTKQ 76. 2

ssssrr nsvics This invention generally relates to safety devices of thebarrier type intended to preclude customary injuries to operators ofpunch presses, shears and similar power-operated machinery and isparticularly directed to an improved barrier of the fence typeenhibiting increased safety for the machine operator.

it is a principal object of this invention to provide an improvedbarrier of the fence type wherein the fence itself as well as each ofthe fence elements can be adjusted in position to provide operatorprotection for a variety of work area configurations while exhibitingincreased fence reliability and rigidity over the entire fence area.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an improved safetyfence utilizing a relatively small number of different parts that areeasily formed to provide a low-cost easily manufacture fence adaptableto a variety of shapes and sizes while exhibiting improved safety forthe machine operator.

it is an additional object of this invention to provide a fence ofimproved rigidity and other safety characteristics without impairingoperators visibility to the work area.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved safetybarrier of the fence type wherein individual fence elements arerelatively adjustable to accommodate stock feed to the machine work areaand removal therefrom while retaining fence rigidity over the entirefence area.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out more indetail hereinafter.

A better understanding of the objects, advantages, features, propertiesand relationships of this invention will be obtained from the followingdetailed description and the accompanying drawings which set forthillustrative embodiments and are in dicative of the ways in which theprinciples of this invention are employed.

in the drawings:

lFlG. l is a perspective view of a complete fence of this inventionshowing a typical machine in phantom; and

MG. 2 is a partial perspective view of a portion of the type of fenceshown in MG. ll, enlarged to show structural detail.

Turning first to FlG. l for an overall understanding of this invention,it is seen that a typical power-operated machine is shown in phantomlines as having a frame it and a work area including a work surface B2to which is secured tooling such as die l3 that cooperates with suitabletooling is mounted on reciprocating ram 115 driven from a suitable powertrain including flywheel lie. Sheet metal strip stock 20, also shown inphantom lines is automatically advanced by any suitable means alongguide trough 21 for engagement by tooling l3, lid, thereafter to exit atpoint 22 as scrap stock, the desired workpiece having been removed as atapertures M. Such machines operate at very high speeds and often exertmany tons of force thereby presenting extreme safety hazards tooperat"rs who may attempt to clear clogged tooling or otherwise adjustthe work area apparatus without first securing personal safety as bystopping the machine. lfnown barriers of the fence type have beeninstalled with such machines but operators have devised many ways tocircumvent the intended safety features only to experience disablinginjury, particularly to hands and eyes.

The construction of a preferred embodiment of the safety barrier of thepresent invention is illustrated in FIGS. l and 2 wherein three barrierpanels 30, 31, 32 are arranged to enclose the three normally open sidesof the work area. Each of the barrier panels is of substantiallyidentical construction and includes in the preferred embodiment aplurality of U-shaped steel rods id as barrier elements secured togetherin generally side-by-side relationships by first fasteners or firstclumps 42, one for each barrier element, which engage a common lateralsupport bar M. Each first fastener M in the illustrated embodiment is agenerally U-shaped steel member whose parallel legs did, as are providedwith aligned apertures 47 through which the legs M of the barrierelement are inserted during assembly of the panel. A threaded fastener50 is inserted through an aperture in the bight portion 51 of the clamp42 and engages an elongated trapped nut 52 so that advancement offastener 50 urges common support bar dd against the legs did of thebarrier element thereby to securely fasten the barrier element in thedesired position.

After insertion of the barrier element d0 through the fastener M, thefree ends 55 are relatively flexible and dense tion of the ends by theoperator has been found to be a typical hazardous way to avoid thefence. To minimize such deflection while permitting the wide range ofadjustability necessary for accommodating various machines, worksurfaces, tooling and stock feed conditions, there is provided aplurality of second fasteners 60, each of which includes a U-shapedfront member 61 and a U-shaped back member 62 arranged to be assembledin nesting relationships. Front member 61 is centrally apertured toreceive threaded fastener 63 and notched at 64 and 65 to receive thelegs dd. Back member 62 is provided with a threaded aperture tocooperate with fastener 63 to clamp the legs securely. Each fastener 60is assembled to clamp the adjacent legs of adjacent barrier elements andis positioned adjacent the free ends of the legs thereby to providerigidity for adjacent legs as well as the entire barrier panel whilepreserving the full range of barrier element adjustable.

Because the positioning of particular barrier elements may effectivelypreclude placement of the second fasteners 60 adjacent the free end ofthe adjacent legs (see particularly FIG. 1) and because the exposed freeends 55 of the legs themselves can constitute a safety hazard,particularly if the barrier elements are installed with the bightportion in a downward facing position (not shown) improved safety andrigidity are provided by free end closure 70. As best seen in FIG. 2,closure 70 includes a sheet metal front cap 71 contoured to partiallyembrace the adjacent free ends 55 and to present a smooth, rounded shapeto the worker. Cap 71 is apertured to receive fastener 72 which engagesthe threaded aperture 73 of back member 74 so as to rigidly clamp thefree ends together while presenting a safely rounded configuration.

The assembly of fence or barrier panels 30, 31, 32 together and to themachine while providing adljustability of the entire panel and withoutimpairing individual barrier element adjustability is accomplished bysuitable mounting brackets 80, d1. Bracket b0 is used to secure adjacentpanels together while permitting relative pivotal movement. As best seenin FIG. 2, a clamp b3, similar in construction to clamps 42 is securedto the end element dila adjacent to the end element clamps d2. Clamp d3includes a projecting rod or stud M which is embraced by a sheet metalcollar which is pivotally secured by fastener 36 to end element clamp42a of panel 30. Fastener as draws the two ends Ma and 85b of collar d5together to tightly clamp stud M thereby positioning panels 30, 31, 32in relative adjusted position, as for example shown in FIG. 1.

Mounting of the assembled safety barrier including panels 30, 31, 32 themachine is accomplished by mounting bracket 81 (only one of which isshown in FIG. 1) which is securely fastened to the machine frame bybolts 90. In the illustrated embodiment an adjustable mounting includingrod 91 is provided and secured to end element 30a by clamp 92, whichclamp is similar in construction to clamp d2. The mounting on theopposite side (not shown) of the machine is the same as that justdescribed.

From the foregoing description of the construction and operation of apreferred embodiment of this invention, it is seen that a safety barrieror fence that is rigid throughout its effective area, that issusceptible to a wide variety of adjustments to accommodate tooling,stock feed, etc. without diminishing safety, and which is not a safetyhazard itself has been provided. The use of substantial members ofidentical, easily fabricated parts reduces costs while enhancing thevariety of sizes that can be obtained.

As will be apparent to persons skilled in the art, variousmodifications, adaptations and variations of the foregoing specificdisclosure can be made without departing from the teachings of thepresent invention.

lclaim:

l. A safety device particularly suited for use with presses, shears andthe like to preclude access of the machine operator to the work areacomprising at least one barrier panel and a support for selectivelyfixedly positioning said barrier panel relative to the machine workarea, said barrier panel including a plurality of elongated generallyU-shaped barrier elements, a common lateral support member for saidbarrier elements, a plurality of first fasteners, each said firstfastener engaging one of said barrier elements and said common supportmember to secure said barrier elements in generally side-by-side,laterally spaced relationship, a plurality of second fasteners, each ofsaid second fasteners engaging the adjacent legs of adjacent barrierelements to fix the relative position thereof, and closure means engagedwith the free end of each leg of each barrier element to separately fixthe relative position of the legs of each element.

2. The safety device of claim 1 wherein said first fasteners and saidsecond fasteners are adjustable to permit selective positioning of eachof said barrier elements relative to said common support member therebyto permit arrangement of the barrier elements to define an opening insaid barrier panel.

3. The safety device of claim H wherein each said closure member isselectively removable to facilitate assembly of each of said barrierelements to said common support member, said first fasteners and saidsecond fasteners.

s. The safety device of claim 2 wherein each said closure member isselectively removable to facilitate assembly of each of said barrierelements to said common support member, said first fasteners and saidsecond fasteners.

5. The safety device of claim 43 wherein the support for said barrierpanel is adjustable and provided with means for mounting on the machinewith which it is used.

6. A safety device for enclosing the work area of a machine to precludemachine operator access while permitting feed and removal of stock to beworked comprising a plurality of barrier panels, means for adjustablysecuring said panels together and for securing the end panels of saidplurality of panels to the machine, each of said panels including aplurality of elongated generally U-shaped barrier elements, a commonlateral support member for each of said barrier elements, a plurality offirst fasteners adjustably securing each said barrier element to saidcommon support member in generally side-byside, laterally spacedrelationship, and a plurality of second fasteners securing the adjacentlegs of adjacent barrier elements in fixed relative position at a pointspaced from said common support member whereby each barrier element maybe adjustably positioned to selectively define access openings to themachine work area while efi'ectively precluding barrier element movementand operator access.

7. The safety device set forth in claim 6 wherein closure means areprovided in engagement with the free ends of each leg of each barrierelement to separately fix the relative position of the legs of eachelement.

8. The safety device of claim 7 wherein the bight portion of eachbarrier element extends away from the work area and wherein said secondfasteners are disposed adjacent to the opposite end of said barrierelement.

